oldham



J. F. OLDHAM.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-21, i918.

1,325,856. Patented Dc. 23,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

5 nlllillh' um M301 1. F. OLDHAM.

TIRE AHMOH.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 21. 1918.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Quinn-$0 1,

JOHN F. OLDHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 OLDHAM ARMOR.

.A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Mn tr onnion.

TIRE COMPANY,

TIRE-ARMOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Application filed September Q7, 1918. Serial No. 255,943.

To all whom it may concern: 0

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. OLDHAM, citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Armor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to armor for pneumatic tires, the objects thereof being the provision of means rendering the tire practically invulne-rablc to puncture, and at the same time protecting it from wear.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an armor adapted to surround the pneumatic tire, commonly called the in nor tube, and is intended to entirely dispense with the customary rubber casing or shoe now in use. In the accomplishment of this purpose a complete investment of the inner tube is necessary. I therefore provide an armor composed of a plurality of connected metal units which while practically impervious to puncture, are nevertheless hingedly connected so as to permit the necessary flexibility ofmovement under the shocks and vibrations to which the tire is subjected.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of the armor, showing the rivets in position.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of a section of the armor.

Fig. 3 is a view of one of the separate units. I

F 1g. l 18 a wow of a connecting r111 5 is a view of a metal ring for use in holding the armor in its operative position.

Fig. 6 is a view of the periphery of the am ior in association with the folly of the wheel; and

Fig. 7 is a view showing the armor in position on a wheel.

In the drawings the armor units are indicated by the numeral 1. Said units are preferably formed of sheet iron, and are stamped to provide the tongues 2, extending from the body portion of the unit, as shown in Fig. 3.

The units are assembled to form the armor in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, the tongues 52. being first bent at an angle to the body portion, the units being then laid out in alinement. A ring 3 is then placed over an upstanding tongue of every four contacting or adjacent units, the tongues then being bent over on the ring and pressed against the bottom face of its associated unit. It will therefore be clear that, by this method, each of the four tongues of a unit passes through a ring, and that every ring sun rounds a tongue of four different units.

It is necessaryto provide for a certain movement of the armor, and at the same time eliminate the space or opening between the units, and for that reason the shape and dimensions of the ring 3 are very important. It will be noted that the ring is elongated, or of rectangular shape, so that the opening therein has considerably greater length than thickness. This construction permits the edges of the connected units to lie in approximate contact, thcreby minimizing chance of a nail entering therebetween. The opening in the ring and the thickness of the tongues are so proportioned. that the four tongueswhich extend through the ringare always in contact, each to each, that is to say, that the sides of each tongue engage the sides of the adjacent tongue, and the curved backs of the tongues are in contact. This shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed however that, while the rings and tongues effectively prevent lateral separation of the units, they are hingedly connected and that the tongues may swing around on the circular body of the ring as a pivot, and thereby provide the movement necessary to take up the vibrations and shocks.

t is to be noted that two tongues are formed on eachopposite face of each unit, leaving the other two faces unbroken. This disposition of the tongues is of material advantage, in that it permits the unbroken edges of the units to lie in exact contact, when the armor is assembled, thereby minimizing danger of puncture.

Fig. 6 shows a fragmentary sectional View of the lower portion of the manor assembled for cooperation with the rim 4, to surround the tube 5. In order to protect the tube, one or more layers of felt 6, 6, are interposed between the armor and a layer of thick duck or canvas 7, which is immediately adjacent the tube.

The lower or end units 8, on each side of the armor, are connected to the adjacent unit as above set forth, but the units 8 are oflconsiderably greater length and are provided with extensions 9 bent backwardly adjacent the body portions of the units 8. The ends 10 of the portions 9 are thence downwardly turned and engage the body of the portion 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. It is to be noted that these terminals are of substantially V form in cross section and the beads 10 are arranged beneath the longer members of the V with their points of connection with the adjacent units some little distance away from the curved flanges of the rim, see Fig. 6. These longer members thus serve to assist in holding the beads 10 within the curved flanges and lessen the liability to displacement. This provides a construction adapted for cooperation with the inwardly curved flange at of the rim, when assembling the armor around the tube, and it will be noted that the portion 9, carrying the end or bead 10 will form a spring member adapted to snap under the flange 4 of the rim.

In order to assist in holding the armor in true circular alinement, when applying to the rim, a rigid circular wire 11 is positioned between the unit 8 and the portion 9, being disposed in the angles of the Vs of the units 8 as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5, a coiled spring 12 interrupts the continuity of the wire, tending to draw the ends together. By this arrangement the end units are held firmly in place and the tend ency of the wires is to hold the shorter members of the units in close engagement with the rim and lessen the liability of displacement of the end units 8.

In placing the armor and contained tube on the rim, the tube is first partially inflated, as is customary. The fingers of the operator are placed under the portion 9 and upward and lnward pressure applied thereto, the spring 12 yielding under this pressure and allowing expansion of the wire 11. The bead 10 is then placed over the flange 4: of the rim and pressed downwardly, and the bead will snap into the curved socket of the flange 4. A downward pressure upon the armor around its periphery will completely set the bead 10 in the rim socket. When the tube is then inflated the pressure will cause a close contact between the bead 10 and the rim. Obviously, a reverse of these operations will easily remove the tire when the tube is deflated.

. From the foregoing it is clear that I have produced an armor composed of a plurality of units which are practically invulnerable to puncture, and have so connected the units that they lie adjacent each to each, but nevertheless permitting the necessary resiliency to take up shocks or vibrations. It is also obvious that I have provided a construction whereby the armor may be easily applied to or detached from the rim.

If desirable the armor could be applied directly over the rubber shoe now in use.

Various modifications of the invention may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but it is to be understood that my invention includes all embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tire armor comprising a plurality of units substantially rectangular shaped and provided with a tongue at each corner, the unbroken straight sides of said units being disposed substantially in contact with each other, and elongated links of substantially rectangular shape, each link engaging the tongues of the four adjacent corners of four units.

2. A tire armor comprising a plurality of flexibly connected units, the end units of each side of the armor being of substantially elongated V shape formation with one terminal of each end unit bent to form a resilient bead, said beads being disposed beneath the other arms of said Vs and adapted to be sprung within and frictionally and resiliently engaged with the curved flanges of the rim, and a ring encircling the end units and engaged in the angles of said Vs, said ring having a coiled spring portion interrupting the continuity of the same whereby its diameter may be varied under pressure.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

JOHN F. OLDHAM. 

